Video of the Week: “We have to pass the bill so you can find out what is in it”

You might have seen this week a stunning demonstration of political condescension on the health care front. In remarks at the 2010 Legislative Conference for the National Association of Counties, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said, “But we have to pass the bill so that you can find out what is in it, away from the fog of controversy.”

This revealing comment reinforces a patriarchal (or in Pelosi’s case matriarchal) attitude Congress has taken with the American public: What lurks within the House and Senate health care bills will be revealed in the fullness of time, and it’s really good for us if we only knew better.

Ordinary Americans have had a common-sense resistance to Washington’s feverish attempt to overhaul one-sixth of the U.S. economy. But Congressional leadership has ignored the public’s concerns and instead clung to the idea that if they simply ram the bill through the legislative process — using unprecedented tactical maneuvers that may not even pass the parliamentarian’s smell test—Americans will finally understand and embrace ObamaCare.

When it’s law, then Americans can finally grasp the “goodness” of what’s in the 2,700-plus-page Senate bill, which is the most likely legislative vehicle that Congress will push to President Barack Obama’s desk. The problem for Pelosi and congressional Democrats is that Americans have been reading these bills, and they don’t like what they’re reading.

This whole dynamic helps explain why Obama and congressional leadership are insistent on another artificial deadline of March 18 for final passage of ObamaCare. They know that members of Congress, particularly those in the House, could see another wave of townhall protests when they go on a two-week recess starting March 26. That’s because the American people do know what’s in these bills. Popular discussion and debate—that “fog of controversy”—has helped to enlighten them.

Freedom in not free. Our history shows eternal vigilance and blood have kept us free to this point. There appears a collective insanity is sweeping through the country and the democrats and progressives are in the lead. I hope we have time to curb their hubris before we are bankrupt – financially, morally and spiritually.

This is uncalled for. To think she can come out and spew this and yet the elected thugs still support it. Does this NOT wake up ALL Americans to what is going on? Where are the Republicans…oh thats right..RHINOS. So, we have 545 idiots and if one thinks it is just the dem take over..think again. America is toast unless We The People take an immediate stand! Save the Republic and God save America.

Sorry for any offense of the truth, but Nancy Pelosi, you are deranged. You and the rest of the government health care pushers are out to lunch. Mr. Obama you are definitely included. Nothing this government does or says will ever be trusted by the good people of America. None of you, are any of us.

By the way, I have land to sell, send me ONLY one billion dollars and I'll send you the deed. SOLD AS IS. You need it. Buy it or I'll shove it down your throat.

Reaction to your violent speak. I'm generations younger then you and much more

Excuse me but, WHO WORKS FOR WHO? Whats wrong with California, and why do they keep this Botox Queen in office? It is time we take our Government back,away from Corporate America and Union influences. This bill was a bad idea from the start,and NOT the way to approach the problem. If they try to ram this down our throats, lets return the favor and charge them with Treason against the Constitution they swore to protect and abide by.

Today, we are once again being told that the Democrats are meeting behind closed doors to make yet another attempt to convince reluctant Democrats to vote for the Senate health care reform bill. I believe it is being held behind closed doors again for the same reason they did it the first time. I believe they do not wish the American public to see the tactics they will use to get the votes necessary. I believe that bribery will again be employed by Democrat leadership, using as yet unspent TARP and Stimulus money to fund the bribes that will be offered.

They will tell us that covering an additional 30 million or more people will reduce health care costs. They say the savings will come from finding "efficiencies" in in the delivery of Medicare and Medicaid. If there are "efficiencies" to be found in the delivery of these government programs, why can't they be defined and addressed right now? Why do we have to wait for the Senate health care reform bill first? I suspect that the reason these "efficiencies" aren't described here and now is because they involve paying the doctors and hospitals even less than they get paid today.

President Obama tells us that the Health Care Reform bill will not cover illegal aliens. Does anyone seriously doubt that once this bill is passed that his next immediate step will be to grant amnesty to all illegal aliens? The amnesty for illegal aliens will be labeled "Immigration Reform" and will involve giving aliens new tamper-proof photo identity cards replete with finger prints and DNA samples. Then all the illegals will be, by a stroke of a pen, legal AND covered for health care.

Every time Mr. Obama comes up with another "REFORM" he puts the country further and further into debt. It is very clear that his confederates in the House and Senate do not care at all how much all of these reforms will cost U.S. taxpayers. They have cleverly exempted themselves from the health plans they have in mind for the rest of America, just as they have exempted themselves from Social Security, so that they may collect fat pensions of 80% of their former income.

Of course those who have no health insurance will support the Reform bill and will be very happy to have the rest of us paying for their health care. I am sure that there are millions here in the U.S. that would be happy to have the rest of us pay for everything else they want. There are those in this country who believe that health care is a right, because it is a need. Well, you only NEED health care if you are sick or hurt. Food, shelter, clothing, utilities (heat, light, water, etc) and the income to pay for them are NEEDED everyday. So if health care is a right, so too are all the other necessities of life. And if all these "rights" are to be furnished by the government, where does the money come from to pay for all this? Why should anyone work to support themselves when there is a government to do it? Why would businesses continue to operate if they are forebidden to make a profit? When businesses are taxed out of existence, there will be no jobs, no money for taxes or anything else. Now where does the government get the money needed to pay for all those "rights" we have to all the necessities of life?

I am very afraid that the politicians in this country who continue to promise to provide everything people want, just to get their votes, will bankrupt our country ruin it.

The really sad and scary fact is that because of the district Pelosi represents,

she will NEVER be voted out of office. We all can see her deranged, left-wing, socialist ideology has driven any pretense of Americanism from her botox altered brain. Yet, those in San Francico that will continue to vote for her, are just as

Put a MORON in a position of authority and you will get the words and deeds of a MORON! DUH!! Pelosi, Reid, Frank, Rangel, hey..Obama! Where exactly do the demorats come up with their endless parade of cartoon characters? THEY have as their "goal" ENSLAVEMENT OF THE PRODUCERS IN THIS COUNTRY! These IDIOTS want every producer to be joined at BOTH HIPS by NON-PRODUCERS! Out of Obama's own progressive/socialist/communist mouth…"producers are LUCKY", a statement HIS TYPE always uses to gather their crowd of the UNLUCKY(the lazies, the ones who dropped out of school, the dope heads/druggies who do not work and demand we take care of them, illegals who want to remain illegal cause they pay zero taxes, the ultra wealthy who want everyone else to be a slave of the STATE while they continue to luxuriate, and the society dropouts). We get what we vote for and the non-producers, non-thinkers, non-CREATORS, the UNION WORKERS now out number the those who actually make a contribution to our country. When they destroy us…they destroy themselves and they are not smart enough to know it.

when I read or hear Pelosi's statement that we need to pass health care so we can see what it consists of. All that comes to mind is some sicko trying to lure a child into a car with the promise of another piece of candy. Drew they certainly intend on bankrupting our country. That's why they have claimed around 75% of the land in the west as federal land. The west is a mass of natural resources that they will exploit to install and maintain their socialist utopia until these sources run out. Then of course communism will be required if the people have not thrown socialism off the shores of America.

Articles of Impeachment must be drafted. The constitution is being violated daily by the arrogant men and women who took an oath to uphold it. The long term effects of their actions are terrifyingly simple to envision. Enslavement, confiscation, and death.

The president surrounds himself with people whose philosophies include the confiscation of all guns, the curtailment of all rights, and the elimination of half of the population. The last part sound far fetched? Research the ban on DDT. One of its goals? To decrease the population of the third world by disease. A very high ranking member of the UN made a comment that alluded to heinous goal.

Cass Sunstein holds such views. We as a people do not have much time to wake up. These abominations walk the halls of government. They must go.

Please tell me that the grounds for impeachment exist and that what we need are courageous men and women in office willing to "pull the trigger".

The American Medical System is the third leading cause of death in the United States… right behind heart disease and cancer… and now we have to pass the bill just to see what's in it?

When I thought that universal health care might be a good thing I was accounting for reform of the entire system from the FDA, right down through the back pockets of giant pharmaceutical conglomerates to the over-priced technology and the piles of hazardous waste… but obviously politicians had different earmarks in mind.

This is such a shuck a jive. It's going to raise taxes before any benefits are seen, preexisting conditions will be eliminated, among other things. It's time to take back our country. To quote Ray Stevens: "You vote Obama , we want you out of there". Let's vote theall out. I see that Democrats are dropping like dead flys in jusabout every election. Including Mass., which is usually a Demoatic state.

Speaker Pelosi…you work for the American people. You get your obamacare bill written and finalized and on the internet for five days for Americans to read! Do you understand this demand? And Americans to not want you changing the final bill to please yourself….we want to see the final bill you are voting on. Now do you think you are capable of that?

pelosi has no right to push the healthcare bill ……the congress should be working on jobs and improving the economy . healthcare is only a ploy for power and pelosi doesn't get a crap what is in it because it is only a power ploy………..once the control of the economy is in te hands of the morons in wash dc we are all in big trouble.

First of all, the health care legislation is NOT at all about health care for Americans. I don't think it is even about power, as FOX news constantly reminds us although that may be a side benefit for the Marxists in our government.

It is strictly about money; finances. There are a slew of states that are now bankrupt because THEY tried to be like the Federal Government, forgetting that they didn't own a printing press to knock out dollars. The health care bill is so expensive that the only place all that money can go is to pay down the obligations of the states which simply can't spend what they don't have for very long.

. 37 countries tried this system, first invented by the original republican party of usa,, they cut their costs 50% from what they had, which was the healthcare insurance racketeers,, increased life times 10%

fact ,,, all the republicans now opposed to the health care bill, were according to the documented records ,, all for the bill. before they were against the bill.

fact ,, if the bill does not control the health care insurance racket,, costs will go up 150 % over 3 yrs,, according to the insurance industry itself,, forcing most employers to drop it for 100% of the workers, or retirees or children now covered.

urban legend has it that the bill requires abortion and death squads financed by the taxpayer.

the reality is there is an anti abortion page in the bill now in exhistance prohibiting abortion for any but life saving purposes.

the death squad bill urban legend trick is done by reading the page and the paragraph stating the patient chooses what they want from all five options, and purposlyeliminating reading the words" patient choice". thus making it sound hospital institution decision manditory. it doesnt.

it does not say manditory decision from a minimim wage civil servant, it says choice, and choice of patient…not insurance salesman, not insurance bill collector, not insurance industry bookeeper accountant..

[…] is all that stands between us and a fundamentally changed America.What will that change look like? Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) said “we have to pass the bill so that you can find out what is in it,” and President Barack Obama […]

PS. TEDDY KENNEDY WANTED HEALTH CARE , BUT NOT THIS KIND. LET THE MAN REST IN PEACE , THIS IS NOT WHAT HE WANTED. AND MR OBAMA PLEASE DONT TAKE HIS NAME IN VAIN. A LOT OF PEOPLE DID LIKE THE MAN, WE ALL HAVE OUR FAULTS.

[…] is all that stands between us and a fundamentally changed America.What will that change look like? Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) said, “we have to pass the bill so that you can find out what is in it,” and President Barack Obama […]

[…] were in the federal health bill? Apparently only some Democrats, since House Speaker said we’d have to pass the bill to see what’s in it. Wonder why the NY Times is just getting around to investigating what is actually in the law. I […]

Really? We have to pass a bill to find out what's in it? That's just as stupid as signing a contract to find out what's in it. To be withheld information until AFTER singing a contract or passing a bill is just a shady unethical practice that only a numb-minded fool would fall for.

"But we have to pass the bill so that you can find out what is in it, away from the fog of the controversy"

there is a HUGE diffrence between what is quoted and what was really said. She was referring to passing it so that the people can find out what is in it without the crap the the democrats and repblicans throw into peoples heads.

[…] passage of the president’s health care legislation in March, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) infamously exclaimed that “we have to pass the bill so that you can find out what is in it.” It has now been months […]

There have been enough perfectly reasonable explanations for Nancy Pelosi' statement, in context, that I won't repeat them. I'll just add one thing, if it hasn't already been said here somewhere. Obviously everyone (who cares to) knows what's really in the bill. You can read the text lots of places. Here, for instance:http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/D?c111:1:./te…
It's too bad Rep. Pelosi provided the right wing with a sound bite. Beyond that, it's a non-story, folks.

Marguerite Higgins is a FOX News ditto-head who has been completely fooled by false FOX News-created video clip. Pelosi was addressing Conference for National Association of Counties (NACO) in 3/9/2010 speech and not Congress, as FOX would have you believe. Congress already knew what was in bill. Pelosi's full paragraph:

". . . You’ve heard about the controversies within the bill, the process about the bill . . . But I don't know if you have heard that it is legislation for the future . . . It's going to be very, very exciting. [BUT WE HAVE TO PASS THE BILL SO THAT YOU (meaning NACO attendees and not Congressional members) CAN FIND OUT WHAT IS IN IT, AWAY FROM THE FOG OF CONTROVERSY.] Furthermore, we believe that health care reform . . ."

FOX deliberately failed to identify context (NACO forum and NACO audience) and deceptively cut statement, thereby intentionally altering Pelosi's meaning so as to be damaging to her–explicitly to portray her as informing Congress 'we have to pass bill so that you Congress can find out what is in it' playing into Republican falsehood that health care bill was too long and people writing it did not know what was in it. With audience, full text, and context exposed, Pelosi's statement is not damaging at all. This is the kind of inaccurate, deceitful tricks we have come to expect of Heritage and FOX.

[…] Certainly we cannot expect any Congressmen to read the bills, not even the speaker. In regards to healthcare legislation, Nancy Pelosi actually said “We have to pass the bill so you can find out what is in it” […]

[…] Certainly we cannot expect any Congressmen to read the bills, not even the speaker. In regards to healthcare legislation, Nancy Pelosi actually said “We have to pass the bill so you can find out what is in it” […]

[…] until they are voting on it. Remember Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi’s (D–CA) words that “we have to pass the bill so you can find out what is in it”? It looks like the American people will find out what is in the bill well after it is signed […]

[…] In the words of one skeptic, “ObamaCare was designed to be the governmental equivalent of kudzu—growing everywhere, propagating by multiple means, and sinking in its roots and becoming impossible to control.” The hope was to have the law take root so quickly that it would overwhelm any legislative efforts to slow it down once people had a chance to “find out what’s in it.” […]

[…] has made some pretty absurd comments over the years. Most notably, perhaps, was her quip that “we have to pass the [health care] bill so that you can find out what is in it.” But comments sent out in a press release yesterday rival that condescending statement. In a release […]

[…] Speaker Pelosi, made the comment that if you wanted to know what was in the bill, you would need to pass the bill. What kind of logic governs lunacy like that? I don’t dislike the former speaker because she […]

[…] the stimulus bill and in the health care legislation has been absolutely unfathomable. When then Speaker Pelosi noted that Congress would have to pass the legislation to find out exactly what was in the bill, […]

“We have to pass the bill so you can find out what is in it" spoke Princess Nancy back in 2010. Now it's two years later and we still don't know. The OMB keeps upping the cost. Abortions would not be funded by the government according to Obama, but they are. How many more lies are we going to have to swallow thanks to the triumvirate Comrade Harry Reid, the clueless Princess Nancy and the Grand Imam Obama.

Actually, what she said was "[something][something][something]…but we have to pass the bill…." It's a good political snark, and it's still making the rounds, but what is implied here is not what she was saying. If she had been talking to conservatives, she would have dumbed it down and said something like "You lie! I'm not playing with you anymore!"

Don’t have time to read the Washington Post or New York Times? Then get The Morning Bell, an early morning edition of the day’s most important political news, conservative commentary and original reporting from a team committed to following the truth no matter where it leads.

Email address

Ever feel like the only difference between the New York Times and Washington Post is the name? We do. Try the Morning Bell and get the day’s most important news and commentary from a team committed to the truth in formats that respect your time…and your intelligence.